A Novel Self-sensing Local/Global Structural Health Monitoring System

Acellent technologies, Inc. proposes to develop a dual E/M impedance and wave propagation based innovative structural health monitoring (SHM) system for application to composite structures for Army rotorcraft and unmanned air vehicle platforms. Composites can incur invisible damage from impacts, loading abrasion, operator abuse, or neglect that if unchecked may lead to lower structural reliability, higher life-cycle costs, and loss in operational capability. To monitor this damage, Acellent proposes the development of a stand-alone sensory array system containing the capabilities for local and global structural area damage detection, data evaluation, wireless data transmission and data storage and processing. Phase I was focused on establishing the feasibility of development of the system. The major focus was to develop the ability for sensor self diagnosis and monitor damage to a sensor or sensor debond upon external impact. The results show that sensor failure can be correlated to a change in the impedance of the piezoelectric sensor. Phase II will focus on the development of a prototype system having the ability to monitor sensor failure as well as structural damage using a combination of the wave propagation and the impedance methods.